The Union health ministry has recently launched a new software named Donor-Vigil with help from National Institute of Biologicals (NIB) to complement the Haemo-Vigil software which currently has under its fold 370 blood banks/centres for reporting blood transfusion related adverse transfusion reaction reports (ATRs) in patients under the Haemovigilance Programme of India (HvPI).
There are 2760 licensed blood banks/centres in the country which are envisaged to be covered under the HvPI programme both through Haemo-Vigil software and Donor- Vigil software as per the government’s mandate towards blood safety.
Both these softwares are meant to serve as an online platform for reporting adverse blood transfusion reactions. This will comprehensively report adverse reactions both in terms of blood donor and recipient and hence serve the larger purpose of blood safety through HvPI.
It would involve 2760 blood banks across the country to register online with a unique ID and password to uplink with the server based at NIB, Noida for reporting blood donor adverse reactions.
Currently, as part of the HvPI programme, data in transfusion reaction reporting form (TRRF) from various centres is being collected through the Haemo-Vigil software.
As part of National Blood Donor Vigilance Programme (NBDVP), Donor -Vigil will help access and connect with blood donors which was earlier restricted till reporting of transfusion reactions in blood recipients.
NBDVP is meant to broaden the scope of HvPI in the country with the help of Donor-Vigil software launched on the lines of Haemo-Vigil software meant to collect data related to blood transfusion reactions from blood donors. This will improve donor safety and satisfaction through monitoring, analysing and researching adverse events.
The software development is done in collaboration with ministry of information and technology and NIB with support from National Informatics Centre (NIC).
NBDVP will also complement HvPI which currently generates reports on blood recipient related adverse reaction through a Transfusion Reaction Reporting Form (TRRF). This is then linked via Haemo-Vigil software to NIB.
In a similar manner, NBDVP will collect blood donor data from 2,760 licensed blood banks and medical institutions through a Blood Donor Adverse Reaction Reporting Form (BDARF). It will help to analyse risk factors, implement and evaluate preventive measures, reduce frequency of adverse events and increase donor frequency.
HvPI at the national level was launched on December 10, 2012 by NIB, functioning under the ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) to track adverse reactions associated with blood transfusion and blood product administration.